U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,501 relates to a steel wheel having an ornamental plastic wheel cover adhered thereto by a plastic urethane foam. The outer cover may be chrome plated and stylized to yield an esthetic appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,677 relates to a molded polyurethane wheel cover upon a steel wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,200 is a division of the above discussed U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,677 and is identical thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,996 relates to a wheel which is manufactured by placing a steel rim, a steel inner disk, and a steel outer disk in a die and injecting a polyurethane foam composition into the enclosed volumes such that a polyurethane foam acts as a load-bearing and load-transmitting structural element.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,926 is similar to the above previously mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,996 in that it also relates to injecting an organic resin foam which functions as a load-bearing component of a wheel in association with a plurality of structural members secured to each other and defining a cavity. One of the members is an outboard member that defines an outboard disk side and includes a plurality of radially extending openings that are spaced circumferentially with respect to one another with a plurality of ribs projecting in an outboard direction through the openings so as to give the wheel a stylized appearance and to cooperate with the structural members to enclose the cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,028 is similar to the aboveidentified prior art patents in that it also relates to a wheel assembly comprising a plurality of components having an organic resin foam such as polyurethane which is injected into a cavity to form a load-bearing member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,657 is yet another prior art patent wherein a three-piece vehicle wheel is filled with a polyurethane foam which functions as a load-bearing and load-transmitting structural element.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,658 relates to a high density urethane elastomer which is permanently attached to the outboard side of a wheel and has a decorative surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,451 also relates to a urethane elastomer which is molded to the side of a metal vehicle wheel to present a decorative appearance.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2457907 relates to a vehicle wheel which has rim center disk, mounted on a hub, on which the rim for the tire is mounted. The wheel has, besides metal components, a plastic component as by adhesive bonding, foam molding, or vulcanizing. The plastic component acts as a noisereducer and also protects certain decorative parts of the vehicle against accidental damage.